Apparatus and method for treating metal wires



Feb. 6, 1968 L. WEGMANN ETAL 3,367,036

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TREATING METAL WIRES Filed Dec. '7, 1965 .JEEEI Luow/e WEEMHNN E R l H R E States Patent C) 3,367,036 APPARATUS AND METHOD FQR TREATTNG METAL WHRLES Ludwig Wemnann, Duisburg, and Erich Reth, Duisburg- Buchholz, Germany, assignors to Demag Alrtiengesellschalt, Duisburg, Germany Filed Dec. '7, 1965, Ser. No. 512,105 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 14, 1964, p 46,049 17 Claims. (Cl. 3420) ABSTRACT OF THE DHSCLGSKJRE An apparatus for forming and treating metal wires includes means for laying wires downwardly in the form of turns or coils around a central winding shaft in a manner so as to form loose coils which are picked up by spaced conveyor elements and advanced in a separated condition downwardly through the shaft. The conveyor moves the coils through the shaft at a controlled rate as the wire coils are treated with a cooling fluid for the purpose of forming the metal into a desirable constituency. The wire coils are advanced at a rate in accordance with the cross sectional size of the wire and in accordance with the requirements for treating the wire over definite periods of time. The treatment in accordance with the method of the invention takes the form of directing cooling air in the shaft against the coils of wire as the wire coils are being conducted in a separated coil arrangement which permits the air to penetrate over substantially the entire periphery of each coil. After the wire coils are cooled by conducting them through the cooling shaft or treatment shaft, they are collected in coil stacks below the shaft.

Summary of the invention This invention relates in general to a method and apparatus for forming and treating metal wires and to a new and useful process and apparatus for air treating rolled wires which come directly from the rolling mill and wherein the wires are layed down by a rotary arm in turns or coils around a central winding shaft or spool in an arrangement which permits the wires to be exposed to a cooling fluid stream.

The invention is particularly applicable to the improvement in the treatment of Wires which are received from a rolling mill and, after they have first been subjected to cooling by a liquid such as water, are cooled by an air treatment from a temperature of about 700 C. to much lower temperatures below 500 C. At the present time it is the practice to wind wires of this nature on an open spool, so that the individual wire turns lie eccentric to the spool core which is of a certain predetermined width. It has been found, however, that the unwinding of such a compact spool, even when it is wound in an open manner, is very difficult, and after winding the wire does not come off the spool very fast nor sufliciently uniformly. Other prior art arrangements include, for example, the forming of the loops of the wire by a revolving guide tube for forming the wire into loops. Adjacent loops are arranged side by side on a conveyor as they are formed and are air cooled during their horizontal movement. Most of the described methods, however, have the disadvantage that the points of intersection of successive wire loops lie very closely together so that high concentrations of intersecting points of the wire material form on both sides of the spools. At such intersecting points, the cooling progresses more slowly than at points where the wires are exposed to the cool air stream in an unhindered manner so that the wires are treated unevenly. With the high coil weights which are used today and the 3,367,%6 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 high rolling speeds which are effected, it is often necessary to use a conveyor belt of from 40 to 50 meters in length, and accordingly long treatment installations must be provided. Moreover, the extending of the wire loops at the beginning of the conveyor belt and especially the collecting of the extended loops at the end of the conveyor belt provide special problems which must be solved by special devices.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an improved device for winding the metal into coils around a central spool or winding tube element which may be exposed on the exterior to an air flow at at least one or more separate airflow cooling zones. The apparatus of the invention achieves the purposes of the prior art with much less space and consequently at lower investment costs and uniform cooling of the wires is possible and hence an improvement of the wire quality.

In accordance with a preferred method of the invention, the wire turns are layed singly or in groups into a vertical annular shaft which is traversed by cooling air and the loops are lowered by means of conveying elements which are moved downwardly through the shaft at adjustable speeds. The cooled and treated loops are then collected at the lower end of the spool on supporting means which may be transportable.

A feature of the invention is that use is made of a kinetic energy which is inherent in the rolled material. The wires are passed into the shaft from the top and can be lowered into a lower level, or they may move along the winding shaft without the expenditure of much energy. Cooling air is directed against the coils upwardly and in a counter direction to the wire movement and is conducted away by the utilization of the naturally upwardly flowing warm air by using a cooling shaft construction around the spool which is vented at the top.

The coils are conveyed along the spool by conveyor elements which permit the lowering of the wire loops in accordance with their cross-sectional size and the wire speed which is to be employed for such size. The construction is such that the formation of the coils occurs within the cooling zone formed by the cooling shaft so that a substantial gain of space and time is obtained as compared with the known arrangements.

A feature of the construction is that the loops are formed around the upper end of a shaft Which has convc-yor elements which move downwardly at at least two diarnetrical sides of the shaft for conveying the newly formed loops downwardly. Thus, the points of intersection of the wire loops are distributed evenly over the coil cross section and cooling air is directed inwardly against the newly formed loops from the side. Thus, coil intersection centers which may be difiicult to reach by the cooling air are not formed in such an arrangement.

In accordance with another feature of the process the first wire turns are placed on a multi-part collecting bottom by a rotary arm which directs the Wire into a loop at the beginning of the work cycle. The parts of the bottom are then moved away in opposite directions to permit the coil to move downwardly into association with the conveyor element.

The conveyor is arranged so that at its lower end the coils of wire, after they have been treated by cooling air, are deposited onto a supporting table which is arranged below the shaft. The table is mounted so that it may be moved away after a coil length of wire is severed from the feeding length. In a preferred arrangement, suitable shears are arranged at the lower end of the shaft for automatically cutting the coil when a suitable length has een assembled over the table.

A further feature of the invention is that the conveyor elements which convey the loops or coils of wire downwardly include endless belts or chains having projecting supporting elements or plates for receiving one or a plurality of coil loops and which are guided downwardly through vertically elongated slots defined by exterior projections of the tubular walls around which the wire loops are formed. The supporting plates or rod elements of the conveyor are advantageously arranged at equal spacing and they project inwardly from diametrically opposite sides of the central winding tube. One or more of the supporting plate elements are advantageously equipped with synchronously connected drive or brake units so that the wire turns will be conveyed uniformly downwardly in the cooling shaft past the cooling elements to effect uniform cooling. The cooling air is advantageously supplied through apertures arranged around the exterior of the shaft and directed inwardly toward the winding tube abound which the wire loops are formed. Three eparate control ducts are advantageously provided to provide for variations in air rate fiow and air temperature in accordance with the desired treatment as the coils progress downwardly in the shaft. Care is thus taken to prevent the cooling of the material by an amount which would cause a chilling or harmful effect on the material structure and the air flow in the separate control zones which may be regulated for this purpose.

In still a further feature of the construction of the device the tube or spool around which the wires are coiled provides a mounting for bearings for supporting the lower extension of a spindle which carries the rotatable guiding arm for directing the coil loops of material around the shaft. The shaft is freely mounted and it is prevented from rotating with the spindle by magnets which are positioned adjacent the periphery of the shaft to insure that it does not rotate.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for coiling metal wire material in a heated state around a tubular hollow shaft element using conveyor means which support the coils of wire as they are formed and conduct it downwardly as a cooling flue, such as air, is directed over the coils which are formed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of cooling wires which are first subjected to a cooling by liquid after being received from the rolling mill which includes directing them around a tubular shaft element to form coils thereof, supporting the coils as they are formed and moving them away as they are formed, and simultaneously subjecting the coils to the action of a cooling fluid as they arebeing conducted away.

A further object of the invention 'is to provide a device for coiling and cooling metal wire material which comprises directing the metal wire around a central vertically elongated tubular shaft to form successive coiled loops a conveyor arranged on each side of the shaft with projecting supporting plate elements extending toward said shaft from diametrically opposite sides for supporting the coils being formed at such sides and for moving them downwardly along said shaft, and means for directing a cooling fluid against said coils as they are moved downwardly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for coiling and heat treating rnetal wires which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

The only figure of the drawing is a somewhat schematic vertical sectional view of a device for coiling and heat-treating wire elements constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises a device for coiling a wire material particularly a material which has first been directed into a liquid cooling bath after it comes out of a rolling mill. The wire is directed downwardly between vertically elongated tubular outer element generally designated 7 and and inner hollow tubular element or shaft generally designated 8. The wire (not shown) is directed through a top opening or entrance 50 between a rotatable spindle head 1 and the outer tubular element 7. The wire is directed around a revolving rotary arm 2 which is rotated wit-h the spindle 1 to throw loops of the wire around the periphery of the inner tubular element 8.

In accordance with the invention, at the beginning of the work cycle the loops of the Wire elements which are to be formed are layed first on a collecting bottom 3 which is formed by two annular parts 3a and 3b which abut centrally around the periphery of the inner tubular element or winding spool 8. Synchronously driven linkages 4a and 4b are connected to the exterior of the parts 3:! and 3b and they operate together to cause outward movement of the plates after the first loop or loops are formed to permit them to move downwardly by gravity to fall onto supporting rod members or supporting plates 5 of movable conveyor systems 6 or 6 which are arranged at respective diametrically opposite sides of the inner tubular element 8. Each conveyor system 6 and 6' includes a sprocket element 6a, 6b, and do around which an endless chain 52 is directed. The supporting plates are located at equally spaced intervals along the chain 52 and the reach of the conveyor defined between the sprocket elements 60 and extends substantially vertically so that the supporting plate elements are moved downwardly vertically between an outer casing 7 and the inner tubular member 8. For this purpose, the outer casing is provided with suitable slots 7a and 7b which extend substantially vertically downwardly from the bottom 3 to a spaced location from the lower end of the casing 7. The casing 7 and the tubular member 8 define a cooling shaft for the coils.

By a proper selection of the revolutions per minute of the arm 2 and of the lowering speed of the conveyor 6 and 6, the number of a wire loops which are placed on a horizontal plate 5 can be controlled. Only the number of coiled loops which may be adequately cooled by the cooling system will be directed onto the horizontally aligned pairs of rod elements 5, 5 of the respective conveyors 6 and 6' as they are moved downwardly.

As indicated in the drawing, the outer shell 7 is supported by a frame structure 9 and the inner tubular element or shell 8 is fastened at a bearing ring 10 having a hub portion ltia providing a guide for a central spindle extension 11 which is connected to the spindle head 1. The spindle extension 11 is free to rotate within the hub portion ltla and the lower part is rotatably mounted in a bearing 12. A feature of the construction is that means are provided to prevent the tubular element 8 from turning with the spindle ill which includes permanent or electromagnets 13 and 14 which are secured to the tubular shell 8 and the outer tubular element 7, respectively. The faces of the magnets have poles of opposite polarity. As a further precaution of the turning of the inner tubular element 8, it is advantageously provided with a recess 8a which extends vertically downwardly at diametrically opposite sides thereof for receiving the plate elements 5.

In order to adequately cool the coils as thay are moved downwardly by the conveyor 6 and 6', three separate air duct systems 17, 18 and 19 are provided, each of which includes respective annular chambers 17a, 18a, and 19a. The annular chambers 17a, 13a and 19a each includes inwardly directed nozzle elements 16 for directing the cooling air flow inwardly against the coiled wires which are maintained on the set of horizontally aligned supporting rods 15, 15 on opposite sides of the central winding shaft 8. The ducts 17, 1'8 and 19 are advantageously supplied with a cooling fluid such as air which is of different temperature at each duct and supplied in different quantity. The cooling air enters radially toward the center and is conducted away through the open top 50. When the elements 5 are plates, they are advantageously perforated so that the cooling air stream can be conducted to the wire loops from below.

The bottom of the outer tubular element 7 is open at 54. Directly below the opening 54 there is located a table 22 which is supported on rollers 21, 21 on guideways 20 which depend from the frame 9. As the conveyor moves downwardly, the coils which are formed fall onto the table 22. When the desired weight has been achieved on the table, means are provided (not shown) for cutting the cable from the remaining length thereof and then the table may be either wheeled away or pivoted.

In some instances it is desirable to continuously drop the material downwardly onto a receiving bottom 23. This provides for stacking to a greater height. The material is held in the position above the bottom 23 on pins 24a which are carried on a reel member 24. A lowering device which includes a hydraulic piston 25 is connected through a linkage 56 to the reel 2-4 to permit the pins 24a to be moved downwardly from the bottom so that the coil can be removed from the bottom by known mean-s.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating metal wires comprising directing the wire around a tubular element to form successive separated groups each of which includes at least one coil and wherein the coils of each group are separated sufliciently to expose a major portion of the periphery of each coil of the wire, conveying away each group separately as it is formed at a controlled rate, treating the wire by directing a cooling fluid over the individual wire coils as they are being conveyed and collecting the wire into coiled stacks after treatment.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein rolled wires coming directly from the rolling mills are treated.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said wire coils are permitted to form until a plurality is formed and this plurality is conveyed away.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the speed of conveying away of the coils of wire is regulated in order to vary the cooling effect thereon.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the initial coils of wire are formed on a collecting bottom, and thereafter the collecting bottom is removed to permit the wire coils to be conveyed downwardly away from the bottom.

6. An apparatus for treating metal wire comprising a winding spool, a winding arm rotatably mounted for rotation around said spool for directing wire around said spool and forming separated successive coils of said wire, conveyor means engageable with said Wire coils and holding said coils in a separated arrangement, said conveyor means being movable for moving the coils along said winding spool in the separated arrangement permitting the flow of treatment fluid over substantially the entire surface of each coil, and means for directing a treating fluid against the periphery of the coils as they are being conveyed.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said conveyor means includes an endless element conveyor disposed on at least one side of said spool and having a plurality of relatively closely spaced plate members on said element engageable beneath no more than a few of the coils of said wire for supporting the coils in the separated arrangement and conveying the Wire along said spool.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, including two separate conveyor elements arranged on separate opposite sides of said spool, each including a plurality of spaced supporting elements extending outwardly therefrom toward said spool for supporting no more than a few of the coils of Wire which are being formed and for conveying the wire coils along said spool.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said Winding arm is supported on a spindle and projects outwardly therefrom, said spindle including a spindle extension rotatably mounted within said spool.

10. A device for coiling and treating metal wire comprising a winding spool, a winding arm rotatably mounted for rotation around said spool for directing wire around said spool and forming successive coils of said wire, conveyor means engageable with at least some of the Wire coils for moving the coils along said winding spool, means for directing a treating fluid against the periphery of the coils as they are being conveyed, said winding arm being supported on a spindle and projecting outwardly therefrom, said spindle including a spindle extension rotatably mounted within said spool, and means preventing rotation of said spool with said spindle extension.

11. A device for coiling and treating metal wire comprising a winding spool, a winding arm rotatably mounted for rotation around said spool for directing wire around said spool and forming successive coils of said wire, conveyor means engageable with at least some of the wire coils for moving the coils along said Winding spool, and means for directing a treating fluid against the periphery of the coils as they are being conveyed including a plurality of separate air ducts disposed along the path of movement of said coils for directing air at different quantities and different temperatures over said coiled wire.

12. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said air ducts are located at spaced locations along the length of said spool and arranged to direct air radially inwardly toward the peripheries of said coils.

13. A device for coiling and treating metal wire comprising a winding spool, a winding arm rotatably mounted for rotation around said spool for directing wire around said spool and forming successive coils of said wire, conveyor means engageable with at least some of the wire coils for moving the coils along said winding spool, means for directing a treating fluid against the periphery of the coils as they are being conveyed, and an outer shaft surrounding said spool at a spaced location therefrom, said shaft having a vertical slot defined therein, said conveyor means including coil supporting elements extending through said vertical slot.

14. An apparatus according to claim 6, including an outer shaft surrounding said spool, an opening at the bottom of said outer shaft for assembling the coils of formed wire at the bottom of said outer shaft, and means located at the bottom of said outer shaft for supporting the coils of wire which are formed.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said means includes a table supported for movement.

16. A device for coiling and treating metal wire comprising a winding spool, a winding arm rotatably mounted for rotation around said spool for directing wire around said spool and forming separated successive coils of said wire, conveyor means engageable with at least some of the wire coils for moving the coils along said winding spool, means for directing a treating fluid against the periphery of the coils as they are being conveyed, an outer shaft surrounding said spool, an opening at the bottom of said outer shaft for assembling the coils of formed wire at the bottom of said outer shaft, and means located at the bottom of said outer shaft for supporting the coils of wire which are formed, said means for supporting said coils of wire including a bottom member, a reel member associated with said bottom member having upstanding pins which are movable up through said bottom member for winding the coiled material therearound and maintaining it in the stack, said reel member being displaceable away from said bottom member to free said spools for removal from said bottom member.

17. An apparatus according to claim 6, including a drop bottom located adjacent the top of said spool for receiving at least the first coil of the wire being formed, and means for shifting said bottom member to permit the first coil to fall downwardly onto said conveyor means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Daniels 242-79 X Hanson 247-80 Crum 242-79 Morgan 266-6 Morgan 266-5 10 KENNETH W. SPRAGUE, Primary Examiner. 

